Cardinals’ Blake Gillikin, Emari Demercado placed on IR, out for regular season
Dec 14, 2024, 2:57 PM | Updated: 2:58 pm
Cardinals’ starting punter Blake Gillikin and running back Emari Demercado were placed on injured reserve and will miss the rest of the 2024 regular season, the team announced Saturday.
In a corresponding move, Arizona elevated punter Michael Palardy to the active roster.
Gillikin only booted one punt in last week’s 30-18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, having left with an ankle injury. The fifth-year pro did not practice Wednesday through Friday.
Gillikin had not missed any of Arizona’s 13 games this season, averaging 49.7 yards on 38 punts including 19 finishing inside the 20-yard line.
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Like Gillikin, the second-year running back Demercado did not suit up for a single practice this week, dealing with a back injury.
In 13 games, Demercado, who plays behind James Conner and Trey Benson, has carried the ball 24 times for 223 yards and one touchdown against the Chicago Bears. He also hauled in 16 catches (20 targets) for 104 yards.
No corresponding move was made to address the loss of Demercado as of Saturday.
Palardy is in his ninth NFL season, having spent four seasons with the Carolina Panthers (2016-20) and smaller stints with three other teams before being activated in Arizona. He was most recently with the Washington Commanders in a practice squad role last season.
The 32-year-old punter out of Tennessee last registered competitive NFL action in 2022 with the New England Patriots. In eight games, Palardy averaged 42.4 yards over 42 punts and managed to get 10 within the 20-yard line.
Listen to play-by-play of Cardinals-Patriots at 2:25 p.m. Sunday on 98.7, Arizona Sports.com and the Arizona Sports app. Pregame coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.
